Midnight in Paris | Eastern North Carolina Now

Gil, Owen Wilson, is in a constant state of amazement of his great fortune in meeting his literary heroes like F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway.
   Gil: "I would like you to read my novel and get your opinion."
   Ernest Hemingway: "I hate it."
   Gil: "You haven't even read it yet."
   Ernest Hemingway: "If it's bad, I'll hate it, because I hate bad writing. If it's good, then I'll be envious and hate it even more. You don't want the opinion of another writer."

   Similarly, as is her usual practice, Kathy Bates was spot on as Gertrude Stein. Also, Adrien Brody was outstanding as the wildly eccentric Salvador Dali. Salvador Dali lived until 1989, so I well remember his surrealism, and his outrageous personality. Actor Brody found that sweet spot of understanding the surrealist's eccentric core.


   A staple of almost all Woody Allen films is his excessively complicated relationships where the women and the man, speaking in Woody's alter-ego voice, never really connect. This redundant theme is employed liberally in "Midnight in Paris," with Gil becoming infatuated with Adriana, played by Marion Cotillard, who just happened to be Pablo Picasso's mistress as well as his muse. In fact, Gil became so obsessed over Adrianna, he would wait at the proper location, that same lonely street in the "City of Lights," until the stroke of midnight, for his chauffeured ride for his chance moments with Adrianna. As one might surmise: It was a relationship fraught with few possibilities.

    One upside possibility was Gil's strong compulsive connection to Ernest Hemingway, and Gertrude Stein, Kathy Bates, who were kind enough to give Gil, in their own way, excellent advice. Hemingway advised the confused Gil to "man-up" and approach life head on, as if it was a battle to best one could be. Gertrude Stein's advice was more direct to the Gil / cathartic Woody Allen core of the problem with projecting his his author's voice, as stated here below:

   Gertrude Stein: "The artist's job is not to succumb to despair but to find an antidote for the emptiness of existence."
   Gertrude Stein: "You have a clear and lovely voice. Don't be such a defeatist."
Gil waiting for ethereal ride into the past to meet his new mentors and prospective future love interest: Above. Adrianna, Marion Cotillard, with Gil, Owen Wilson, getting to know each other under some most unusual situations: Below.
   With Woody Allen, it is always hit or miss as to whether his films work or not. The overt, and often over-wrought, neurosis of his central character only works if the story has is broad enough appeal to draw in a fuller range of collective concepts from an audience with a more median perception of life's real purpose. Ergo, Woody, the Filmmaker, needs to find that place where he speaks to not on the sense of the fantastic that resides an audience, but the normal that resides within most of us.


   Woody Allen found that special place within his audience for this film consequently, "Midnight in Paris" works on many levels, and is well worth the spare 94 minutes of your valuable time you will surrender to be thoroughly entertained. Unlike many reviewers, who incessantly heap adulation on the Filmmaker, I see Woody Allen in the truest of lights, and I do not place praise upon his work undeservedly. Accordingly, you should see this film.

   Rated PG13. Released on DVD December 20, 2011.